Israel Announces Arrest of 650 People from Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital, Including Hamas and Islamic Jihad Commanders

JAKARTA - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet said they managed to arrest around 650 people during an operation at Gaza City's Al Shifa Hospital, including several senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commanders.

Islamic Jihad members hiding in a medical center surrendered to the army, the IDF said, as reported by The Times of Israel, March 22.

Among them were Hussam Salameh, commander of PIJ's observation and intelligence unit in Gaza City, and his brother, Wissam Salameh, head of the terror group's propaganda unit in Gaza City, according to the IDF.

Also arrested in Shifa were three senior officers at Hamas' West Bank headquarters, tasked with launching attacks against Israel from the West Bank, the IDF said.

They were named by the Shin Bet as Amr Asida, head of the Nablus unit; Mahmoud Qawasmeh, one of the planners of the 2014 kidnapping and murder attack on three Israeli teenagers; and Hamdallah Hassan Ali, who was also involved in directing recent attacks in the West Bank.

Those arrested were then taken to Israel for further interrogation by the Shin Bet.

According to the IDF, they have so far killed more than 140 gunmen in the offensive, which began Monday morning and was carried out by the 401st Armored Brigade, the naval commando unit Shayetet 13, and other troops.

Later, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said there was a "very significant" additional senior Hamas commander captured by troops at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

He did not elaborate on their identities because of ongoing interrogations. However, in a press conference he said those arrested included the commander of the PIJ Shejaiya Battalion, the deputy commander of the PIJ North Gaza Brigade, and the PIJ commander responsible for the terror group's tunnels in northern Gaza.

He added that there were still militants hiding in the emergency room of Al Shifa Hospital.

During the raid on the hospital, the IDF said soldiers seized weapons and intelligence documents "that contributed to the continuation of fighting."

Military officials said fighting at Al Shifa Hospital was still ongoing and was expected to last for several more days, until all militants in the area were captured or killed.